I watched this with some trepidation, as the show it is essentially replacing, Merlin, was a little silly for my tastes and the acting skills of several of the cast were not impressive, in my view. I am always delighted for my preconceptions to be proved inaccurate and in this instance, it has proved to be the case (touch wood). The show begins weakly, with minimal background on the lead character and we are thrown in (literally) at the deep end. Having watched the whole episode, I can understand now why this is so. Obviously, the mysteries of Jason's origins are destined to be revealed over the course of the series. The sets are gorgeous, especially the scenes filmed in Morocco. The acting is almost uniformly first rate, with Mark Addy (The Full Monty) and Robert Emms in particular standing out. The excellent Alexander Siddig (Deep Space Nine, Syriana) also appears, but his role in the first episode is small. I am sure that will change in future episodes. He is too good to waste on a minor part. This is good, old fashioned swords and monsters escapism done very well. Anyone looking for deeper meanings or historical accuracy will be sorely aggrieved, but that is very far from the point. This show could be everything that Merlin promised, but ultimately failed to deliver. If the rest of the series is anywhere as much fun, I will be watching Atlantis for a long time to come. Take a look and give it 15 minutes before you give up on it. It really picks up in a big way. Well done, BBC!
